biomaterials

Biomechanics & Biomaterials

Duke MEMS faculty are exploring a deep and rich array of biological phenomena to unlock discoveries leading to new bio-inspired materials. Building on our discoveries, we are solving analytical and biomechanical problems with clinical relevance.

We work closely with Duke collaborators in biomedical engineering, the natural sciences, Duke Nicholas School of the Environment and Duke University Medical Center in numerous research and educational activities.

Student and Prof. Varghese in biomaterials and biomechanical lab at Duke Engineering

Research Areas

  • Acoustofluidics and microfluidics
  • Biomaterials and soft matter
  • Biomechanical engineering
  • Medical device development
  • Nanoscience and nanomedicine
  • Tissue engineering

Major Centers & Initiatives

We foster strong and growing multidisciplinary connections with faculty across Duke University and beyond that include:

Related Study Opportunities

PhD

Specializations include:

Master of Science (MS) or Master of Engineering (MEng)

Concentrations include:


Further Options at Duke

Duke University Program in Materials Science and Engineering

The program offers a general materials science and engineering (MSE) curriculum and degree title. Learn more »

Associated Faculty

Wilkins Aquino

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Computational mechanics, finite element methods, computational inverse problems and their applications in engineering and biomedicine, scientific computing, computational acoustics and acoustics-structure interaction, coupled chemo-mechanics (e.g., electrochemistry-mechanics).

Gaurav Arya

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Molecular modeling, molecular simulations, statistical mechanics, coarse-graining, machine learning, polymer and colloidal physics, polymer-nanoparticle composites, chromatin biophysics, DNA nanotechnology, viral DNA packaging, single-molecule force spectroscopy, nanoscale…

Matthew L Becker

Hugo L. Blomquist Distinguished Professor of Chemistry

Research Interests: Polymer chemistry; bioconjugate chemistry; molecular imaging and additive manufacturing; materials for bone, soft tissue, neural and vascular tissue engineering; drug and protein delivery; degradable materials for flexible electronics

L. Catherine Brinson

Sharon C. and Harold L. Yoh, III Distinguished Professor

Research Interests: Mechanics of materials, with emphasis on complex hierarchical materials and polymer based systems, and merging concepts of data science into materials. Nanoscale and bulk scale experimental characterization, modeling and simulation of the behavior of materials, including physics…

Daniel Buckland

Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

Chuan-Hua Chen

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Experimental and theoretical research coupling physicochemical hydrodynamics with interfacial engineering

Ashutosh Chilkoti

Alan L. Kaganov Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Research Interests: Focused on biomolecular materials and biointerface science and emphasizes the development of applications that span the range from bioseparations, biosensors, biomaterials, and targeted drug delivery.

Patrick James Codd

Associate Professor of Neurosurgery

Louis Edwin DeFrate

Laszlo Ormandy Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

Liang Feng

Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Climate | Energy | Biomedicine & Health | Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics | Carbon Capture | Adsorption & Separation | Molecular Machines | Supramolecular & Porous Materials | Polymer Science & Engineering

Dennis Onyeka Frank-Ito

Associate Professor in Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences

Ken Gall

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Materials science, mechanical properties, metals and polymers. Specialties: Shape memory materials, biomaterials, 3D printing.

Laurens E. Howle

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Tony Jun Huang

William Bevan Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Acoustofluidics, microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, biomedical micro-electro-mechanical systems (BioMEMS), optofluidics, plasmofluidics.

Bavand Keshavarz

Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Mechanics of Soft Materials,  Bioinspired Hydrogels,  Metal-Coordination Networks,  Fluid Dynamics of Complex Fluids in Fragmentation and Capillary Phenomena,  Mechanical Spectroscopy of Soft Materials During Gelation,  Linear and Nonlinear Rheology of Supramolecular Networks, 

Brian Mann

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Nonlinear dynamics and vibration utilizing analytical, numerical, and experimental techniques. Fundamental investigations of phenomenon and application areas where dynamical systems theory plays an important role.

Piotr E. Marszalek

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Investigating relationships between structural and mechanical properties of biopolymers (polysaccharides, DNA, proteins), at a single molecule level.

David Needham

Professor Emeritus in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Needham’s research and development is nothing if it is not collaborative. Highlights: Anti-cancer drug delivery inspired by how cancer's survive and spread due to their consumption of Lipoprotein particles from the blood-stream (LDLs and VLDLs) hence his approach: Make the drug…

Xiaoyue Ni

Assistant Professor of the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Flexible electronics, precision measurement, non-destructive testing, deformation physics of random media, mechanical metamaterials, robotic materials and smart structures, machine learning

Christine K. Payne

Yoh Family Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms by which cells interact with nanomaterials with applications in nanomedicine and environmental exposure

Amanda Randles

Alfred Winborne and Victoria Stover Mordecai Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences

Research Interests: Biomedical simulation and high-performance computing

Michael Rubinstein

Aleksandar S. Vesic Distinguished Professor

Research Interests: Polymer theory and computer simulations

Shyni Varghese

Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Orthopaedics

Research Interests: Musculoskeletal tissue repair, disease biophysics and organ-on-a-chip technology

Benjamin J. Wiley

Professor of Chemistry

Stefan Zauscher

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Nano-mechanical and nano-tribological characterization (elasticity, friction, adhesion) of materials including organic thin films; self-assembled monolayers, polymeric gels, and cellulosics; Fabrication of polymeric nanostructures by scanning probe lithography; Colloidal probe…

Pei Zhong

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Mechanistic investigation and technology development in shock wave and laser lithotripsy; Ultrasound-elicited mechanotransduction, neuromodulation and sonogenetics; HIFU and immunotherapy for cancer treatment; Acoustic and optical cavitation.